Green hydrogen

Speaking at the Vietnam Circular Economy Forum 2022 last week in Hanoi, Caitlin Wiesen, resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, suggested that the country needs to further promote renewable energy production. “We know that the cost of renewable energy has dropped dramatically, by 89 per cent over the past 10 years, and solar is currently the cheapest source of electricity,” she explained. In just five years, Vietnam has scaled up its solar capacity from virtually zero to over 16,000MW by 2022, far exceeding national targets, Wiesen added. “Vietnam also has rich wind power potential, especially offshore wind, with more than 3,200km of coastline,” she said. Meanwhile, over the past decades, the energy sector has been a fundamental enabler of inclusive economic development in Vietnam. The sector is well-positioned to lead the green growth ambitions of the country, Wiesen said, and can catalyse new investments, create new jobs, and … [Read more...] about Grand energy aims require direction

A Lockdown Mode being added to iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers is intended to counter threats from a thriving industry that provides sophisticated espionage tools to governments. "While the vast majority of users will never be the victims of highly targeted cyberattacks, we will work tirelessly to protect the small number of users who are," Apple head of security engineering Ivan Krstic said in a blog post. The tech giant is upping the bounty it pays researchers for uncovering vulnerabilities in its software when it comes to Lockdown Mode, raising the maximum reward to $2 million. Concerns over digital snooping have been fueled by media outlets reporting that Pegasus spyware made by NSO Group in Israel was being used by governments to surveil opponents, activists and journalists. Apple is suing NSO Group in U.S. federal court, saying the Israeli firm's spyware was used to attack a small number of iPhone users worldwide. "State-sponsored actors like the NSO Group spend … [Read more...] about Apple devices getting beefed-up defense against spyware

Patrick Lenain - Former assistant director Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Schools and universities will need to adopt new technologies. Public transportation networks will need to be upgraded. Large-scale logistical hubs will be required to remain integrated in global supply chains. Old-age citizens will need welfare support. Electricity generation will need to decarbonise. Coastal cities will need to adapt to rising sea levels. Military spending will need to protect the country. And it is obvious that health spending remains a priority. Unfortunately, tax revenue is at present too limited to finance these large investments. Vietnam’s government collected tax revenue equivalent to 16 per cent of GDP last year, according to the International Monetary Fund. This is less than Malaysia (18.3 per cent), Singapore (18.5 per cent), India (19.7 per cent), Thailand (20.3 per cent), and China (27 per cent). This is also less than before the pandemic, reflecting … [Read more...] about Tax for development: Does Vietnam need tax reform?

Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Vietnam Kenneth Atkinson. The trade and investment relationship between Viet Nam and the UK has grown significantly a year after the UK-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) came into effect. Viet Nam News spoke to Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Vietnam Kenneth Atkinson about the effectiveness of the trade deal as well as opportunities for further cooperation between the two countries. How do you assess improvements in trade and investment between Viet Nam and the UK a year after implementing the UKVFTA? The UK-Viet Nam FTA came into effect on May 1, 2021 but with retroactive benefits starting January 1, 2021. This was one of the speediest negotiations of any FTA, in large part due to the strong strategic partnership established by the Governments of Viet Nam and UK. The Strategic Partnership has been in place for 10 years and is stated as being at its strongest ever. The UK is the European country that has maintained … [Read more...] about Trade, investment between Viet Nam and UK expand steadily in all sectors